Platen-shift.



Patented May 27, |902.

E'. s. SHIMER. PLATEN SHIFT.

(Application Bled Jan. 23, 1902.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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No. 7UI,095. Patented May'27, |902.

E. S. SHIMER.

PLATEN SHIFT.

(Application led Jan. 23` 1902.)

Zorn eys,

UNrTnb STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELh/IER S. SHIMER, OF MILTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

PLATEN-SHIFT.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent N o. 701,095, dated May 27, 1902.

Application filed January 23, 1902. Serial No. 90,882. (No model.)

To all 10720711/ t may concern.-

Beit known that I, ELMER S. SHIMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milton, in the county of Northumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Platen-Shifts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in platen-shifts; and one object of the same is to construct a device of this character which will be adjustable for different fonts of type and be simple in construction and efficientin operation.

Another Objectis an adjustment of the basket to conform to the platen-shift adjustment.

The novel construction by which these objects are accomplished is fully described in this specification and claimed,and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a perspective of a carriage with my platen-shift. Fig. 3 is a detail of one of the hangers and the catch. Fig. 4 is a detail of the V-shaped guide.

Like numerals of reference designate like parts in the dierent views of the drawings.

The numeral 1 designates the table of a standard form of typewriter frame, upon which table the carriage 2 and its .mechanism are mounted. comprises a front bar 3 and two side bars 4. A platen 5 is j ournaled in the side bars 4 and is held against all movement but that of 1'0- tation. In order to shift the platen to change from lower to upper case type, it is necessary to move the whole carriage. To accomplish this in a simple manner, the side bars 4 are pivotally connected at their rear ends to the upwardly-extending arms 6 of a rock-shaft 7 The rock-shaft 7 is supported in hangers 8, provided with hooks 9.- Lugs 9n are formed on the hooks 9 and serve as stops to limit the forward movement of the arms 6 when the carriage is raised. Catches 10 serve to firmly secure the shaft 7 in place, but may be disengaged and the carriage readily detached when desired.

Means for actuating the carriage in shifting is provided in the shape of a movable The frame of the carriagel guide-bar 11, set parallel to the front bar 3 and bearing downwardly-extending arms 12, which extend through apertures 121L in the table 1 and are pivoted on'pins 13. One of the arms 12 bears a crank-arm 14, which eX- tends at right angles thereto and is attached to the upper end of a connecting-rod 15, which is connected at its lower end to the bar 16 of a shift-key 17. A spring 131L serves to return the bar 11 to its initial position. The bar 16 is pivoted at its rear end to adapt it to be operated in the usual manner.

Connection between the carriage 2 and the guide-bar 11 is made by a V-shaped guide 1S, rigidly mounted on the bar and sitting astride the bar 11. The outer arm l8rL of the guide is sharpened to serve as an index for a scale 19, carried by the guide-bar 11.

It is necessary to vary the shift of the platen when employing different fonts of type, and for that purpose adjustable stops 20 are located on each side of the arm 12 and comprise screws fitting threaded apertures 2liL in lugs 21, formed on a base-plate 22. This adjustment is never disturbed except when changing the font of type or in taking up wear.

Since an adjustment of the platen -shift would also necessitate a corresponding adjustment of the basket to centralize the impinging stroke of the type, the type-bars 23 are pivoted to ears 24, all carried by a ring 25, which is supported by four legs 26, having slots therein engaged by bolts 27, rigidly mounted in apertures in cross-bars 28 across the front and rear of the frame. By this arrangement the required adjustment is easily made.

In operation the shifting-key 17 is held down when it is desired to print a capital. This depression of the shift-key will throw the 1ever-arm 14, actuate the guide-bar 11, and operate the carriage to shift the platen.

It should be noted that to insure accuracy the lengths of the arms 6 and 12 should all be the same and set so that the front of the carriage will be raised and the rear depressed an equal amount at each shift.V

I do notwish to be limited as to details of construction, as these may be modified in ICO many particulars Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a platen-shift, the combination with a'carriage bearing a platen, ot a rock-shaft bearing arms pivotally connected to said carriage, hangers bearing hooks engaging said rock-shaft, catches for securing said rockshaft in place, a shift-key and means for connecting said key to said carriage to shift said platen, substantially as described.

2. In a platen-shift, the combination with a carriage, of guide-bar, a scale mounted on said guide-bar, and a V-shaped guide mounted on said carriage and embracing said guidebar, one of the arms of` said guide being pointed to form an index for said scale, sub- `stantially as described. 

